About Town: Week of August 1

Children from Camp B’nai Brith (Montreal and Ottawa), Camp Massad, Camp Kinneret and the Y Country Camp gather at Camp B’nai Brith in the Laurentians for the Segal Sing Off. Inspired by the TV program Glee, this singing competition is organized by the Segal Centre’s Academy. Each camp is performing two musical numbers before a panel of judges. Adam “T.Bone” Greenberg from radio station 92.5’s The Beat is the host. The event also launches the Academy’s 2013-2014 season for 8-17-year-olds. For more information, visit www.segalcentre.org/academy.

ART EXHIBITION

An exhibition of local artist Nelly Leitner’s oil paintings opens at the Eleanor London Côte St. Luc Public Library and continues until Sept. 1. “Passion, Energy and Creativity” highlights Romanian-born Leitner’s long career, which includes participation in more than 100 exhibitions in Canada and abroad, featuring her still lifes and landscapes. Examples of her works can be viewed at www.nellyleitner.wordpress.com.

The Israeli DJ duo Infected Mushroom (aka Amit Duvedevani and Erez Eisen) perform at the Old Port’s Quai Jacques-Cartier at 6 p.m. as part of Divers/Cité, the annual LGBT arts festival. The duo was twice named among the world’s 10 best DJs by Britain’s DJ Magazine. They are appearing here with the support of the Israeli consulate.

On Aug. 2, another renowned Israeli DJ, Offer Nissim, spins the records in a show at New City Gas, 950 Ottawa St.

Israeli music, folkdancing and arts and crafts are also featured at the Festival Lumiéres sur le Lac in Ste. Agathe des Monts on Aug. 5. The highlight is a performance by Israeli rap star Shi 360.

Sunday, Aug. 4

DENTIST CUM SCULPTOR

Dr. Harry Rosen, head of prosthodontics at the Montreal General Hospital’s residency program, discusses his other life as an artist in a talk entitled “From Earth Art to Stone Sculptures that Convey Inspirational Messages”at Congregation Shaar Hashomayim. This Sunday, the Shaar program begins at noon with lunch. Reservations, 514-937-9471, ext. 139.

Monday, Aug. 5

GOLF TOURNAMENT

Shaare Zion Congregation holds its Celebrity Golf Tournament at the Elm Ridge Country Club. In addition to the synagogue, the event benefits Jewish General Hospital research into hereditary breast cancer. Registration, Debbie Cooper, 514-481-7727, ext. 224.

Tuesday, Aug. 6

THE POWER OF HUMOUR

Motivational speaker Roz Malin talks about the power of humour at a Beth Ora Seniors meeting at 1:30 p.m. 514-342-1234, ext. 7318.

BALL PLAYERS SOUGHT

Temple Emanu-El-Beth Sholom is looking for baseball players for a game to raise funds for the Jewish General Hospital Memory Clinic. steve@kaytelvideo.com.

Wednesday, Aug. 7

ROSH CHODESH

A women’s Rosh Chodesh service to welcome the month of Elul takes place at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue’s downstairs chapel at 8:30 a.m. Children welcome. Shelley, 514-489-9094.

Thursday, Aug. 8

GOLFING FOR A CAUSE

B’nai Brith Montreal Food Baskets holds a golf tournament at the Club de Golf Islesmere to raise funds to feed the needy. The program annually distributes 4,000 family food baskets, as well as 102,000 mini breakfasts to schoolchildren, and contributes to several food banks. Registration, www.bnaibrithfoodbaskets.com.

...Et Cetera...

DILLER TEENS

A group of 20 Montreal Jewish teens is in Israel for three weeks until Aug. 8 as Diller Teen Fellows, a sojourn that is part of a 15-month international leadership training program. The group is one of eight from North America, who are paired with their Israeli peers from different cities, in Montreal’s case, Be’er Sheva/Bnei Shimon. For the first time, Toronto is also taking part. They will share in the creation and implementation of social service projects, thereby gaining first-hand experience of Israel’s challenges and the diversity of its people. In Montreal, the Diller program is based at the YM-YWHA and open to Jewish high school students from all backgrounds...

Montrealer Brandon Adelson, a New York University student, is also in Israel for eight weeks until Aug. 20. He received a scholarship to study at the Weizmann Institute of Science. The university’s annual Kupcinet-Getz International Science School accepts only about 30 outstanding undergraduate science students from around the world each summer to participate in research projects with its scientists.

JACOB FAMILY RESEARCH

Elaine Steinberg, who is researching the Jewish history in the Vaudreuil/Soulanges area, is seeking descendants of William Jacob(s) who arrived in Canada from Poland between about 1850-70 and lived or did business in the villages surrounding Hudson. Jacob, who died in 1917, was married to Annie or Fannie Aronson and they had several children. elainesteinberg1935@gmail.com or phone 450-458-0573.

CHIHULY AND ISRAEL

Renowned American glass artist Dale Chihuly, whose work is on view at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts until Oct. 20 – his first major show in Canada – has a strong link with Israel and the Jewish community. He worked on a kibbutz in the Negev in 1963. Chihuly, who is not Jewish, was struck by the fact that Israel was the birthplace of glassmaking and glassblowing. During 1999-2000, more than one million visitors came to the Tower of David Museum to view his Chihuly in the Light of Jerusalem exhibition, which involved building a 60-foot wall outside with 24 massive blocks of ice shipped from Alaska and the creation of 17 installations in the city. In 2009, he completed a breathtaking glass chandelier called “Fire and Water” for the atrium of the Aish HaTorah Center in Jerusalem, said to be inspired by Rabbi Akiva.

NEW GUARD AT CJCS

Maxine Bloom is the new president of the Cummings Jewish Centre for Seniors, succeeding Barbara Solomon. The longtime volunteer pledged: “Our priority is making this a place that puts its members front and centre, and upholds the highest standard of service excellence for all.” Bram Besner takes over as president of the CJCS Foundation from Mike Wagen. Besner said, “Though we have grown tremendously, so,too, have the needs.”